


Personal Sacrifice

by GaHoolianGirl



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Minor Injuries, Python has flavors of tsun but it's not aggressive, Short & Sweet, Tenderness, Well like it's kind of a big injury but he's not about to die or anything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-24 08:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaHoolianGirl/pseuds/GaHoolianGirl
Summary: "Python...I see I've made some grave errors in judgement.""Way to state the obvious."Leaning forward so he could rest his forehead against Python's, Forsyth smiled softly, "Would you grant me your forgiveness?""Mhmmmm, I dunno," Python teased, "I think I might make you work for it.""Please, anything-"He laughed, finally regaining some of his normal demeanor, "Relax, ya' big stiff, I'm messing with you. Let's just kiss and make up, alright? Or at least just kiss."





	Personal Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> I love those boys a lot and I'm so happy they're in Heroes I had to write this.

In Valentia, to be a healer is to accept a life of continuous personal sacrifice. Perhaps it was because of the residual influence of Duma on the faith, as he believed hardship and strife created strength, but regardless, to heal took a toll on the very life of the castor if used repeatedly without reprieve. If unwise, the user could possibly pay the ultimate price. Naturally, in times of war, this precious resource had to be allocated carefully, priority given to those on the brink of death, leaving those in less dire straits to less...elegant means. This knowledge tended to make men more cautious, aware that they may not get the benefit of magical healing.

Forsyth was not such a man, it appeared.

“Hng,” he grit his teeth as Python, whose characteristic nonchalant air had fallen in favor of a disapproving grimace, tightened the bandage around his waist,“...you’re upset with me.”

“What tipped ya’ off, genius? Was it the fact that yer so banged up I can barely recognize you, or was it something else?” he tugged again, before cutting the cloth with a small knife, frowning even further, after putting the roll and tool down, “You know me, I don’t go outta my way to worry about other people. Lookin’ out for number one is all I really need. But I do got a problem with you nearly throwing your life away!”

Forsyth did not reply to the accusation, instead smiling sadly as he reached out to cup Python’s face in his hand, causing the scowling man to start, “It is infuriating how little work you put into anything,” Python scoffed, but eventually melted into the warm palm caressing his cheek, as he always did “You are even effortlessly beautiful. How do you do it?”

“Born with it,” Python replied, still sharp but with less bite, bringing his own hand to cover the one on his face, “Why do you gotta...do what you do, Forsyth? I know there's no changin’ your mind after its set on something, but a dead knight’s pretty useless.”

Closing his eyes, Forsyth sighed out of his nose and slumped his shoulders into a more relaxed position, "You know full why I do it. A knight's duty is to protect everyone they can, no matter the cost to themselves. Even if it was my life."

"Forsyth..." Python warned.

"To die with knightly virtue is more honorable than living to have the title without earning it."

"You're more than just a knight, dammit!" Python snapped, before shrugging like he hoped to shed the emotion off of himself. He failed, "Sure, go ahead and die all noble like, and leave 'ol Python behind. It's not like people love you or anythin' stupid like that. It's not like you could do more good alive than dead even if you ain't a knight. It's not like _ I'd _ miss you."

"Python...I see I've made some grave errors in judgement."

"Way to state the obvious."

Leaning forward so he could rest his forehead against Python's, Forsyth smiled softly, "Would you grant me your forgiveness?"

"Mhmmmm, I dunno," Python teased, "I think I might make you work for it."

"Please, anything-"

He laughed, finally regaining some of his normal demeanor, "Relax, ya' big stiff, I'm messing with you. Let's just kiss and make up, alright? Or at least just kiss."

"That I can do," Forsyth said with a tinge of mirth before bringing their mouths together in a sweet, gentle kiss. This wasn't enough for Python, who had spent the past three hours of his life fretting over his injured partner, and he figured he deserved some sort of recompense for having to put that much energy into caring about something. He grabbed Forsyth's jaw with his hands to tilt his head to an acceptable anglet and pressed harder against him, licking at his lips in invitation, which was eagerly accepted. They stayed like this for a moment, desperately making up for time together they almost lost. When they finally pulled apart, it was with wider grins than either had managed the whole day.

"If I had known you would do that, I might get injured like this again."

"Not likely. I won't let you."

"You? Going out of your way? Have I died and awoken in another world?"

Python pulled his head back and smacked their foreheads together lightly as punishment for the remark, "Shut your trap. It's not really my style, but _ someone _ has to make sure you don't get yourself killed out there."

Face darkening again, Forsyth's smile turned rueful, "Makes me wonder why you even let me drag you around then, if I burden you in such a way."

"No no no, don't give me that. You know full well why you're stuck with me the rest of your life."

Eyes and voice pleadng, "And why is that?"

Pecking him on the lips once more, Python ruffled Forsyth's hair, "'Cause I love you, ya' damn idiot. I might like to spend most of my time relaxing, but if I ain't spending my old age lounging in the sun with you, there isn't much point."

"Thank you, Python," relieved, he reached his less injured arm around Python’s back to pull him into a full embrace, reveling in the warmth of another body against his aching chest, "And I love you as much. My dreams realized without you by my side aren't realized at all."

"And I sure ain't joining you in death, so you better keep kicking until this war is over, 'ya hear me?"

"Loud and clear."

Their moment was broken by voices growing closer to the tent they were in, which could slowly be made out to be Faye and Silque, talking amongst themselves about which of the two would be the one to work on Forsyth.

"Seems like there weren't as many bad injuries as it looked like," Python mused as he extricated himself from the hug to stand.

"It appears so."

"I'm sure you'd be better off with some real healing rather than whatever," he gestured to the messy but practiced bandage application all over Forsyth's body, "it is you call what I did to you." 

Wincing, Forsyth nodded, "I could do with a spell or two to at least calm the pain down," his eyes gleamed with playfulness, "Though there is no priestess as lovely as yourself to look at."

"Ha!" teeth flashing in a winning grin, Python winked as he walked past Silque on his way out, "Make sure you don't do too good a job, so I can kiss it better later."

The young priestess looked back at forth at them in confusion before shaking her head and getting to work, surprised at how jovial Forsyth was despite taking an axe straight to the stomach just that afternoon.

In Valentia, to be a healer is to accept a life of continuous personal sacrifice, and sometimes that meant your curiosity would have to wait until after your job is done.•

**Author's Note:**

> Let me kno what you think! I was going for short and sweet.


End file.
